MEN'S HOCKEY: Bemidji State fights to earn series split with 2-1 win over Bowling Green

Oct. 31—BEMIDJI — Hockey is a game of fighting, both physically and mentally. Players check each other constantly, and physicality and aggressiveness are crucial parts of performing well.

Skill plays a part, though, too — and the No. 17 Bemidji State men's hockey team found the right balance Saturday at the Sanford Center against Bowling Green. The Beavers scored twice in an action-packed and physical second period and held the lead down the stretch, despite a late BGSU goal, winning 2-1 and splitting the series.

"Well, you better play physical against Bowling Green, because they play physical," head coach Tom Serratore said. "So I mean, that's just part of it. I mean, the games tend to go that way when you play Bowling Green. They're a heavy team."

The contest was full of heavy checking and fighting. But BSU kept its wits in the second period, especially on Alex Ierullo's score that came seconds after Elias Rosen was decked into the boards.

"It was an intense hockey game," said Owen Sillinger, who was whistled for three penalties and earned one of his two assists on Ierullo's goal. "I think that both teams wanted to win tonight, kind of both teams needed to win.

"I think that these are two hockey teams that are kind of looking to make a push to finish in the top tier of the league. And yeah, it was physical tonight and both teams wanted it."

Lukas Sillinger got the scoring started for Bemidji State at 15:40 in the second, swiping in a 4-on-4 score to give the Beavers the lead off assists from Rosen and Owen Sillinger.

Gavin Enright started in net for BSU after Mattias Sholl manned the pipes Friday. Serratore said the Beavers are still working through finding the goaltending combination that will give them the most success.

"We lost last night, so I just felt that I wanted to make a change," Serratore said. "Gavin's a good goalie, and I wanted to give him another opportunity.

" ... (The change) was not at all performance-based, but the bottom line was we lost the game. And it's just the way it is. So again, sometimes when you lose a game, when you don't have somebody solidified, you're going to change some things up."

Some things were shaken up, but not too many, according to Enright. The sophomore acquitted himself well, stopping 40 shots and nearly earning a shutout.

"We didn't make any major adjustments," Enright said. "We played a very good game last night. Couple bounces didn't go our way, and it happens. It's the game of hockey. And I think we just stuck to our game tonight, trusted how we play, and (got a) better result tonight."

Bemidji State improved to 4-4 with the win and 3-1 in CCHA play. The grind of the season has been coarse so far, as the Beavers haven't faced a team not ranked or receiving votes in the USCHO poll.

"We've had a lot of tough battles, tough opponents so far," Enright said. "I mean, it doesn't really matter, I guess, what opponent you're facing in college hockey, there's not a lot of discrepancy.

"It's not watered down as much as you'd (see in), say, junior hockey. So each series is a battle. We've won games that we need to, and I think the games we lose, we're learning from. So we're just continuing to move on from there."

BSU has a week off to recover from its bruising battles with Bowling Green and will return to the ice for a road series with Lake Superior State on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 12-13, in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

No. 17 Bemidji State 2, Bowling Green 1

BGSU 0 0 1 — 1

BSU 0 2 0 — 2

First period — No scoring.

Second period — 1, BSU GOAL, L. Sillinger (Rosen, O. Sillinger), 15:40, 4v4; 2, BSU GOAL, Ierullo (Rosen, O. Sillinger), 18:54.

Third period — 3, BGSU GOAL, Swankler (unassisted), 19:24.

Saves — Enright (BSU) 40; Stoever (BGSU) 27.